I've put a couple hours in and I just can't get into it. If I had to describe the game in one word it would be, "unfocused." Tons of confusing, overlapping, seemingly redundant systems, a bajillion items whose uses are vaguely described at best and just pile up in my inventory, imprecise combat mechanics that seem to encourage cheesing, and not even much of an explanation about why my character is doing what they're doing or why I should care. Like I get FromSoft games purposefully don't use straightforward narratives but I just don't see any narrative hook to grab my engagement other than that I should want to be "Elden Lord," for some reason.
So what's the attraction? It looks gorgeous, I'll give it that. But so did Sekiro, which felt a lot more focused mechanically and narratively.
Not trying to be contrarian, I genuinely want to know what people see in this game that I'm missing.
i can throw myself at a group of enemies a dozen times, and when I get tired of that brick wall, I can run in the opposite direction and bash my head against a different brick wall. Usually while listening to a podcast or audiobook.
edit: i should say, you are right about the lack of narrative hooks. I'm 80hrs in and I still don't know what I'm "supposed" to be doing. I don't care who claims ownership of this broken world, I just wanna see how many enemies i can parry
parry lord ending
I guess this is the spirit I should try to approach things with, but it's hard to get invested even in that when so many of the fights I've already been in devolve into "throw a pot at their heads, then run away and wait five minutes."